Crows AFLW recruit Christina Leuzzi had never seen her two brothers get emotional - until last Friday night.
Leuzzi had spent the past two seasons working hard as a train-on player with the Club she grew up supporting.
But her dream of being signed with the Crows came true late last week, and it was her brothers - Matt and Joel - whose reaction shocked her the most.
“It made my two brothers cry - they cried for the first time - My Dad cried and my two Eagles teammates, who were at my house, jumped on me,” Leuzzi said.
“I got a call on the Wednesday saying it was a ‘maybe’, then Friday night, I received a confirmation call from Kat (Head of AFLW List Management).
“It means a lot.
“I’ve been a Crows Member for 12 years, so to be able to now be part of the squad and potentially play alongside the girls I grew up watching is something I never thought would happen, but it is happening and it’s all so surreal.”
Adelaide announced earlier this week that it had signed the 21-year-old small defender/forward as a replacement player ahead of the 2025 AFLW season.
The Club’s decision came after Leuzzi enjoyed a standout season with Woodville-West Torrens in the SANFLW, averaging 23 disposals, 7.3 clearances and 7.5 tackles across 10 games.
Leuzzi, whose family owns Gelatissimo Gouger St, fell in love with footy because of Matt and Joel, who both played.
She followed them to Fitzroy Football Club and lined-up with the boys’ team there until she was too old to play alongside them, and with no girls’ footy teams in the area, Leuzzi dabbled in other sports.
She played tennis and joined dancing company Adelaide AllStars, where she practised ballet, cheerleading, jazz and hip-hop.
But her love for Aussie Rules was still strong and she joined SMOSH when the Club formed a girls’ team, before finishing her juniors with Fitzroy and making her SANFLW debut with the Eagles in 2023.
It didn’t take long for Adelaide’s scouts to notice the dashing half-back and they invited Leuzzi to be one of the Club’s train-on players, giving her an opportunity to develop in an AFLW environment.
Leuzzi said she had learnt plenty from her time training alongside the Crows and that had held her in good stead for her stellar 2025 season with the Eagles.
“I’ve learnt a lot about the work rate and what it takes to be at the level and I was able to bring that out to the Eagles, which really helped my game,” Leuzzi said.
“I was quite nervous training alongside those girls for the first time, though.
“I am hoping to learn a lot and I just want to take everything in.
“I’ve been really focusing on my fitness and running everyday, it has been a lot of hard work but I love it, so it’s all been worth it.”
Leuzzi will replace Georgia McKee, who was ruled out for the year earlier this month with a ruptured ACL in her left knee.
Adelaide’s 2025 AFLW season kicks off with a clash against St Kilda at RSEA Park on Sunday, August 17, at 1.40pm (ACST).
The team will take part in two pre-season practice matches - against Port Adelaide and Melbourne - before Round One.
Adelaide’s full 2025 fixture is available here.
Adelaide AFLW Memberships start from $30 and are available here.
